Resorts – Jump The Park

4 Convincing Reasons Why You Should Stay At Disney’s Art Of Animation Resort

October 23, 2020May 20, 2021jumpthepark

Disney’s Art Of Animation Resort is one of my favorite places to stay on property. It’s relatively new and the themes make me feel like I’m in a Disney movie.

Art of Animation recently opened in 2012. It’s a value level resort, but also has a combination of moderate level rooms.

If you’re on the fence about stay at Art Of Animation, here are 4 convincing reason why this resort is the one for you!

1. Impressive Themeing

If any resort has the best themes, it’s Art Of Animation! The overall theme of this resort, is Disney and Pixar animation.

This resort is themed after 4 movies. Each theme has a few buildings dedicated to that movie. The themes are The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo and Cars.

My favorite part of these themes, is that large statues of the characters are out around the resort! It’s the perfect place to take pictures with some of your favorite characters!

Take a stroll through Cars Land and you’re bound to see Lightning McQueen and his friends!

Not only are the rooms amazingly themed, but the lobby is gorgeous as well! It’s so colorful and is filled with sketches and concept art from the Disney movies.

There are so many details throughout this resort that you have to take a look at!

The sidewalk in the Cars section looks like roads and some of the plants in The Little Mermaid section look like undersea plants. The trees near The Lion King section make you feel like you’re in the jungle!

This resort definitely feels like a “Disney” resort with all the themes and characters to explore.

2. Large Quick Service Area

Since Art of Animation is a value resort, there is no table service restaurant. On the other hand, there is an amazing food court that you have to check out!

One of the main reasons why I love Art Of Animation, is this large dining area in the main building, Animation Hall.

Inside Animation hall, you have the Ink and Paint shop, which is the resorts gift shop and you’ll definitely want to check that out! You’ll also find Landscape Of Flavors.

Landscape Of Flavors is the quick service dining area for this resort. Unlike Saratoga Springs, this area is large and has plenty of dining space. It also has multiple options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Mickey waffles are always the best!

You can grab a quick pastry like a blueberry muffin or chocolate croissant. There’s also a fridge section where you can grab a carton of milk, yogurt or some apple slices

There’s also a refillable mug station, multiple actually. At Wilderness Lodge, there only seems to be one or two in the seating area. At Art Of Animation, there’s a whole area dedicated to refill stations and mug wash stations!

Enough about the drinks, let’s talk decor!

Art Of Animation has 4 main themes: Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid.

Each area in Landscape Of Flavors is dedicated to those 4 movies and I love it! I feel like I’m in a Disney movie and nothing could feel more magical!

If any of those movies are your favorite, you absolutely have to stay at Art Of Animation!

3. Skyliner Station!

My favorite type of Disney transportation is the new gondola system! Better yet, this Resort has a station within walking distance.

With this gondola system, you can travel to Epcot and Hollywood studios right from the resort. This way of travel seems faster than riding the bus. If you have the chance to take the Skyliner, do it! It saves time and is a lot more exciting.

From Art Of Animation Resort, you’ll take the Skyliner to the main station near Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. From there, you can take the line to Hollywood Studios or the line to Epcot.

In total, you’ll probably take 2 gondola lines to get to each park. It’s seems like a lot of waiting in line, but I’ve never waited more that 10 minutes to ride the Skyliner!

It’s so much faster than the bus. Believe me!

You’ll thank me later!🤗

4. Multiple Pools

Art Of Animation is a large resort, so it’s great how they have a few pools scattered around the property.

The main pool is called The Big Blue Pool. It’s up front near Animation Hall, just outside of the dining area.

If you couldn’t guess, The Big Blue Pool is Finding Nemo themed as it is located outside the Finding Nemo buildings. It’s a great pool. There is plenty of space to swim and there’s even a little splash pad for the little ones.

There’s also a pool located near the Cars themed rooms called The Cozy Cone Pool.

It’s really cute!

They have giant cones around the pool to make it feel like you’re actually in Radiator Springs. The pool is right in the center of the buildings, so you can’t miss it!

There’s one more pool located on this property. It’s called the Flippin’ Fins Pool and it’s by The Little Mermaid theme rooms so naturally it’s Little Mermaid themed.

The Big Blue Pool is the biggest out of the three and has the Splash pad area. The other two pools are smaller and only have the pool. So if you’re looking for a little bit more fun, the Big Blue Pool is where you’d want to go.

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A Guide to Disney’s Riviera Resort

July 16, 2020May 20, 2021jumpthepark

Hey everyone! I am so excited to be back at Walt Disney World this week. We were able to stay at Disney’s Riviera Resort for 2 nights and I want to give my honest review of this Disney Vacation Club resort. In a previous post, I ranked Riviera one of the top 5 resorts. Now, after we’ve had a chance to stay here, I would definitely move it up the list. It’s absolutely wonderful and the theme is gorgeous!

We stayed in deluxe suite, which can sleep 5 people. It has a queen bed and a queen size pull down bed from the wall. There is also a twin bed that folds from the wall under the Tv. one thing I really like about this room, is that there are a few drawers under the main bed, and a few in the coffee table. This comes in handy when storing personal belongings. We also have a kitchenette which includes a small fridge, a microwave and a sink. There are also some cabinets to store things. In the bathroom, there is an area with the shower/bath combo and the sink. There is also an area that connects with a toilet and another shower. This is great because it allows two people to get ready at the same time. It’s great for early mornings! Our room also had a balcony which had the perfect view of Epcot!

At the Riviera, there are two pools. pictured above is the main pool. The main pool is next to the play area, S’il Vous Play. The smaller pool, Beau Soleil Pool, is just across the way. Both pools were wonderful, but the main pool has a water slide which is always fantastic. Each pool has its own hot tub that is great for cooler nights. The S’il Vous Play kiddy area has a few small slides and fountains to play in. Across from the small pool, there is an athletic gym that opens at 7am for you early birds.

For the foodies out there, Riviera has a quick service restaurant called Primo Piatta, check out the picture above. They have American style foods like burgers, sandwiches and salads. They also have a more traditional style breakfast with bacon and most importantly, Mickey Waffles! You also might want to try Topolino’s Terrace. It’s on the expensive side, but it’s a character meal. You will meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy as you dine on French and Italian cuisine. Lastly, there is a great pastry cafe located on the second floor near the lobby. It’s called Le Petite Cafe and they have some of the best desserts. Check out the lemon cheesecake below! It’s definitely one of those must do’s if you happen to pass by.

I really enjoyed staying at this resort. I hope to be back in the near future. One main reason why I love this resort is it’s on the Disney Sky Liners system. We couldn’t really use the Sky Liner while staying here, because neither Epcot or Hollywood studios were open, but I know in the future, it will definitely be a big plus while staying.

10 Activities that won’t break the Bank

June 22, 2020July 3, 2020jumpthepark

I think we can all agree that Walt Disney World is an expensive place, right? On top of tickets, you have food and resort reservations. It can be pretty pricey. I’m still going to Disney World no matter how expensive it gets because it’s the greatest place on Earth! But maybe you want to do a few things that don’t cost anything extra. Or, you just want to take advantage of some free goodies. Either way, it’s a good idea to explore your world outside of the parks. So, here are 10 free activities that you can take advantage of that will help you save a little money, and then spend it on items at the gift shop later!

Animal Kingdom Lodge: Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of my favorite resorts! It is very close to Animal Kingdom so a quick drive shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes. Take some time to explore the Resort, and then head outside where you can view real safari animals. You might see a giraffe, gazelle, zebra, or perhaps a few flamingos. Viewing these animals is free to anyone, with no reservation required.
Fort Wilderness: Every night at Fort Wilderness, they host a campfire sing-a-long with special hosts, Chip ‘n’ Dale. S’mores are of course included with this activity. This is then followed by an outdoor screening of a Disney movie. They also have something like this at the Contemporary Resort, so check that out as well if you are staying there.
Riding the Sky Liner: Taking some Disney Transportation can be free and relaxing. If you aren’t afraid of heights, consider taking the new Sky Liner system around the resorts. This system stops at Art of Animation, Pop Century, Caribbean Beach, Riviera, Boardwalk, Yacht Club and Beach Club. The Sky Liner can also take you to Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. This gives you a chance to see some breathtaking views. Now you can see the parks from a whole new perspective!
Art of Animation: If you do decide to take a ride on the Sky Liner, give Art of Animation a try! There, you can walk through the different hotel themes and catch a glimpse of some favorite Disney Characters. Visiting the Cars themed hotels, you can find statues of Lightning McQueen, Mater, Sally, and more. More of a Lion King fan? take a picture next to Simba, Pumbaa, and Timon. Or maybe even with Scar! There is also a Finding Nemo area and a Little Mermaid area to find more famous characters. This resort is great for kids, and is a great photo opportunity to make some memories.
Grand Floridian: The Grand Floridian is by far one of the most expensive resorts on property. So is is possible to do something for free there? The answer is yes! You can stop at the Grand Floridian lobby to listen to some live musical performances daily. The Grand Floridian Society Orchestra performs ragtime, Dixie, traditional jazz and even some popular Disney tunes. In between these full shows, you can watch a solo pianist playing some great classics of Disney. There are plenty of comfy couches and chairs to sit down and relax. It also does not hurt to take in the amazing scenery of this high class resort!
Riding the Monorail: Riding the highway in the sky can be fun, if you’re not in a big hurry. Ride around and visit your favorite Magic Kingdom Resorts like Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian. You can also switch over to the EPCOT monorail at the TTC. This is a great way to see the parks from the sky. Remember to take some great pictures of Spaceship Earth as you circle around. You can also ask an attendant for a monorail transportation card to keep as a souvenir.
Gingerbread Houses: Once the holiday’s rolls around, check out some of the gingerbread houses set up at different resorts! The Grand Floridian has one of the biggest you’ve probably ever seen, I highly recommend checking them out. Take the resort monorail system at the Magic Kingdom and stop at the resorts along the way!
Disney Springs: Yes it costs money to eat and shop at Disney Springs, but it doesn’t cost anything to enter. You do not need any park reservations and parking is absolutely free! It’s nice to take a stroll and look at all that’s going on at Disney Springs. Plus, there is always some sort of entertainment going on. They have live music everywhere, and you might see some street performers. Maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of the Strolling Piano, which is exactly what it sounds like!
Swimming: If you’re staying at a Walt Disney Resort, you’ll have free access to the swimming pool. It’s a great idea to take a break from the parks in the afternoon to cool off. Consider going back to your resort to relax, then you will be nice and refreshed once you head back to the parks.
Celebration Buttons: Okay, so this isn’t really an activity, but it’s still free. If you happen to be celebrating a special event at Disney like a birthday, wedding or an anniversary, stop by guest relations or you can mention it to your resort staff, and ask for a complimentary button. If you wear this button around the parks, you will definitely receive some special attention in your honor!

Thanks again for checking out my blog! Let me know in the comments if you’ve done any of these things, or plan on doing them in an upcoming trip. We know Disney World is expensive, so it’s nice to take advantage of some free stuff!